Knee-pad.



E. ASHTON.

KNEE PAD.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.2a; 1915.

WIr/V58 s )4 TORNEYS THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Co.. WASHINGTON, b. CI

EPPS ASHTON, 0F WAGO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO ARTHUR S. MCCOLLUIVI, 0F WAGO, TEXAS.

KNEE-PAD.

j Patented J une 6, 1916.

Application filed August 23, 1915. Serial No. 46,995. v

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I,l Errs ASHTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Waco,in the county of McLennan and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Knee-Pad, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to knee pads.

An object thereof is to provide a simple,

strong and inexpensive knee protector which when worn will not inconvenience the wearer when standing or walking.

A further object of the invention is to provide a knee protector in which the pad,

for the knee is yieldingly suspended within the shoe of the protector.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of a knee pad embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the pad; and Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3 3, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 4 represents a shoe, preferably formed of sheet metal, left open at one end and at the top thereof, the closed end 5 of the shoe forming the front of the pad. Reinforcing the edges of the shoe at the top thereof is a U-shaped wire member 6. Springs 7 are suspended from the wire member 6 along the sides and the closed end 5.

Suspended on the springs 7 is a pad 8 of soft material. Preferably where the edges of the pad are engaged by the springs the same is provided with ya wire member or members 9 which will not only reinforce the material of the pad but will also increase the life of the pad. The number of the springs 7 and their size is such as to take up all of the weight of the wearer, but any sudden addition of loa-d to the springs will bring the pad in contact with the bottom of the shoe and thus prevent stressing the springs by a sudden application of load thereto.

To secure the knee pad to the knee straps l0 are provided. Each of the straps is secured by a resilient member l1 to one side 'of the wire member 6.v The other side of the wire member carries kbuckles 12 engageable by the straps and whereby the knee pad can or stands. It will .also be noted that when the pad is strapped on, the curved end of the shoe rests gently on the leg just above the knee-cap, while the under side of the open end of the shoe does not touch the leg but the contact is made with the soft part of the pad 8. The straps being attached to the pad by springs allows freedom of movement to the wearer while on his knees. When picking cotton it is often necessary to reach back or to the side while on the knees, and the springs 1l will allow or give enough freedom for this movement.

When the weight of the wearer is on the pad the straps which hold the pad to the leg will be slackened, because the distance from the pad to the straps will increase; and as soon as the weight is taken off the pad the distance will decrease and the straps will hold again. This feature alsorhelps to increase the freedom ofV movement to the wearer of the pad. It may be further remarked that the freedom of movement of the wearer on his knees is increased by the suspension of the pad within the shoe by means of the springs 7. All these features combined result in a better and moreV comfortable knee pad which helps to keep the knee cool, as the thickness of the pad 8 can be materially reduced, there being no direct contact between the shoe and the pad 8 unless under exceptional cases when an excess of weight is applied to the pad. It also protects the knee from contact with any hard substance over which the user may travel on his knees, as all the shocks will be taken up by the resilient members 7 which connects the pad to the shoe.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, 'a shoe open at the top and at one end thereof, a reinforcing member at the edges of the top opening, springs suspended from said reinforcing member, a pad in the shoe having reinforcing means at the edges thereof engaging the springs whereby the, pad is suspended within the shoe, inelastic straps for securing the shoes, a resilient member connecting each of the straps to the shoe,

and buckles for each of the straps associated With the shoe.

2. In a device of the class described, a

shoe in the shape of a rectangular casing open at the top and at one end thereof, the other end of the casing being conveXed outwardly, a U-shaped Wire member reinforc= ing the edge of the casing at the top thereof, coil springs suspended from said reinforcing member along the sides and the end Wall of the casing7 a pad of soft material, reinforcing means at the side edges and one of the end edges of the pad, said reinforcing means engaging the end of the springs suspended from the reinforcing member of the casing whereby said pad is suspended yieldingly Within the casing, straps, a spring connecting each of the straps to one side of the. shoe-casing reinforcing member, and. buckles associated with the other side of said reinforcing member for receiving the corresponding end of the straps.

'In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EPPSv ASHTON.

Vitnesses:

W. C. MCCOLLUM, l G. W. BARGUS.

@epics of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

